The effect of disinfectant agents on dimensional stability and surface roughness of a tissue conditioner material.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of disinfectant procedures on the dimensional stability and surface quality of a tissue conditioner used as a functional impression material. A tissue conditioner (Visco-gel) used as a functional impression material was disinfected by immersion in 5.25% sodium hypochlorite or 2% glutaraldehyde solutions for 10 or 20 minutes, respectively. The control group consisted of specimens (n=10) that were not treated by disinfectants. For testing the dimensional stability, impressions of an aluminum edentulous arch with three reference points were made. After 24 hours of storage in distilled water, the specimens were treated by one of the disinfection procedures. Impressions were poured and, subsequently, 50 stone casts were measured with a Nikon profile projector. For surface roughness evaluation, disks that contained Visco-gel were pressed against glass slides. The disks were then stored in distilled water for 24 hours. After disinfection, 50 disk-shaped dental stone casts were prepared. Surface roughness values were determined using a profilometer. For each test, data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's test (α = 0.05). The results of the dimensional stability test showed that immersion of Visco-gel impressions in 5.25% sodium hypochlorite solution or 2% glutaraldehyde solution did not significantly change the anteroposterior (AP) and cross-arch (CA) distances of the resultant stone casts when compared to the control group (P>0.05). The surface quality of dental stone casts formed by Visco-gel did not change significantly when impressions were immersed in the disinfectant solutions for either 10 or 20 minutes, or when stored in distilled water (P>0.05). The results showed that the disinfectant solutions used in this study did not have a significant effect on the surface quality and dimensional accuracy of Visco-gel as a functional impression material.